


The Earliest of Earps.

by marsmac



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Baby Fic, Childbirth, Domestic Fluff, Dysfunctional Family, F/F, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Motherhood, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 06:41:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11731605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marsmac/pseuds/marsmac
Summary: There is one thing that Earp women are extremely good at, being late. Nicole can ask Wynonna to meet her someplace, and she's lucky if she shows up an hour late, if at all. Nicole can make plans with Waverly, at best she's right on time, at worst... she misses five minutes of the movie. The one time Nicole doesn't mind an Earp being late, her daughter happens to be the earliest one.





	The Earliest of Earps.

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to thank everyone for all the good vibes surrounding my first fiction a few days ago! This is another look into this specific world, the two are linked but not posted in sequential order. I'll be able to order them eventually when I write a little more, but until then, this takes place a very, very long time before 'Only an Earp!' and shortly after where the show currently is.

She's only six pounds and three ounces. It doesn't sink in for Nicole at first. The nurses take her immediately for a couple of routine checks and Nicole can feel the fear radiating off of Waverly, the same terror is coursing through her own veins as she tries to do the math in her head. Waverly was only thirty-six weeks into her pregnancy when what seemed like a Braxton Hick turned out to be the real deal. In the excruciating seconds that follow, Nicole tries to recall everything she's read in the baby books to figure out what kind of problems that might cause their little girl.

She's brought back to reality by the feeling of her wife reaching her hand out, shaking slightly, to grip hers. The squeeze on her hand is different than the past six hours worth, where those had been pain induced and angry, this one is desperate, pleading... Waverly needs Nicole to tell her it's going to be fine, that the baby is going to be fine, and Nicole honestly doesn't know if she can reassure her of either of those things because she doesn't know if the baby is okay... and she knows that if their baby isn't okay, she and Waverly will never be okay again. 

Honestly, she doesn't know what to say or do. They were too young for this. Nicole isn't prepared for those scary what if's, she isn't prepared that the little girl her and Waverly have been singing to, and reading stories with, and dreaming about for the past eight months, could possibly not be fine. They had lived so much of their life so far without her in it, but life had changed and Nicole knew they wouldn't be the same without her now.

The shriek of an infant breaks not only the air, but Nicole's internalized panic and relief washes over her so fast that she nearly bursts into tears.

The only thing keeping her from crying as loud and hard as her daughter is the fact that the baby is being moved into her arms by a happy nurse. Nicole quickly turns to bring her to a tearfully happy Waverly, the words of the book ringing into her head about skin to skin contact and bonding time with a mother. In actuality, she's too terrified to hold her for long, the baby is far too little, far too breakable. She needs Waverly not Nicole.

It sinks in the second she sees the baby cradled on Waverly's chest. The nurse smiles warmly at Nicole's hesitation and tells her that the baby is perfectly healthy, she's passed all her tests with flying colours and there's absolutely nothing wrong with her. Waverly and Nicole's daughter is fine.

None of this actually reassures Nicole though, she hears the Nurses words and hears her daughter's screams and all she can think about is how small the baby is against Waverly, how pale Waverly is from the massive blood loss on the way to the hospital, how scared she was when Waverly passed out for a few seconds mid-contraction and how bad things happen to regular full-term babies every day, let alone premature ones.

She's a mother now, and god is that a scary thought.

* * *

Wynonna and Doc are the first to show up once Waverly gets into her own room, and Wynonna plays the Aunt card extremely well. She all but barges into the hospital room like she owns the place, and kicks every nurse out of the room like they don't know a single thing about babies, Earps or what an Earp baby entails. The nurses hem and haw about her nerve, this is a hospital, not a hotel. Wynonna doesn't care, Nicole doesn't either. She knows her sister-in-law feels guilty for not being there during the birth, nobody had expected Waverly to go into labour this early.

She makes up for it in take charge attitude, and despite the fact that Wynonna is just as clueless as she is, Nicole is almost comforted by having her there. The two share a glance in the doorway, their way of checking in, and the curt nod between the cop and the heir is enough to say this is a safe place, this is a good place, everything is perfectly fine. You can never be too careful when it comes to possible hospital Revenants.

Doc struggles to get through the door, laden down with the gifts his woman has so clearly piled on, Nicole laughs momentarily before helping him and she watches from the corner of her eye as Wynonna moves to Waverly, the latter beaming with pride as she shows off the newest little Earp to the family. The baby yawns sleepily and Wynonna tries to hold up a strong front, though Nicole can tell she's crumbling inside. Her soft spot has always been Waverly, and this little girl, is Waverly down to a tee, minus the strawberry blonde tuft of hair already prominently displayed. 

"Oh no... now we got a Little Red?" Wynonna teases, before pressing a light kiss to her sisters head and whispering just loud enough that Nicole can pick up the hardened whiskey-drinking badass' soft affirmations to the one person she's ever loved unconditionally. "... did a good job, baby girl."

It's sweet. And while Wynonna somehow gets out of holding her for the next few hours she's there, Nicole notices her eyes barely leave the baby.

Group by group, their dysfunctional family stops by to bring presents and see the baby and Nicole still can't shake her feelings of disassociation. 

Chrissy and Sheriff Nedley bring by a giant stuffed bear dressed like a cop; Chrissy gushing to Waverly about how she's _so_ cute and that she'll babysit anytime, the Sheriff patting Nicole on the back and telling her to take all the time she needs with her family before returning to work.

Dolls, Jeremy and Rosita show up with diapers (a thoughtful gift from Dolls), the babies own little stetson (a humorous gift from Rosita) and a little tiny bulletproof vest (a gift that Jeremy doesn't understand why everyone gives him dirty looks over). They manage to fit them all into Waverly's tiny hospital room and the amount of love from every single person in the room reminds Nicole why family is who you choose, and she's grateful, but also feeling overcrowded, everyone is by Waverly and all over the baby and she can't even get a moment to let it sink in.

Gus is the last one to come by, and by then Nicole is so worn out that she's thankful the older woman knows enough to not overstay her welcome. She comes in, kisses both Waverly and Nicole, touches the baby with the gentlest of caresses and deposits an envelope into Nicole's hands. She tells her not to open it until Waverly is asleep, and then with one last hug for her girls, she takes off, leaving the three of them alone at last.

* * *

Waverly falls asleep bare moments later, exhaustion finally taking it's toll on the weary new mother. It's a pleasant sleep though, and Nicole can still see the glow on her face even as she pries the newborn from her wife's arms. There's zero resistance as she cradles the baby in her arms, and her daughter barely stirs, a content sigh the only sound that escapes her tiny little body. Nicole finally gets to let their long day sink in.

She's got ten fingers, ten toes, the tiniest dimples ever and a button nose. Nicole counts it all over and over again until it starts to feel real.

Nicole is a mother, Waverly is a mother, their little girl is here and healthy and perfect. It's all real and happening and she can finally let the happiness sink in as she tucks their little girl into her arms and sits in the chair beside Waverly's bed. She feels the heartbeat strong against her hand, and the soft breathing in the crook of her arm. She smells the new baby smell and smiles as the baby curls a hand around her finger.

"You sure scared me, pretty girl." She speaks softly, quiet as to not disturb Waverly or their daughter from their slumber. Nicole runs the tip of her finger along soft as silk skin, brushing her babies face in a calming manner, tears slightly forming in her eyes. "Of all the things to rebel against as an Earp, you picked being early over late?" She grins from ear to ear, her own glow lighting up the room as the baby yawns in response to her teasing question. "You really wanted to meet Mama and me, huh?" A kiss is pressed to the baby's forehead. "I guess I forgive you."

As Nicole slowly rocks the baby, Gus' envelope comes to mind, and without shifting the baby from her peaceful slumber, she opens and scans it thoroughly. Mouth dropping open, Nicole has to shake her head slightly before reading it again, mind wandering at the numbers written down on a check addressed to her and Waverly. The multiple numbers written down. It blows her mind, before something written on the check has her giggling to herself and she smirks slightly before glancing down at her daughter and kissing her once more on the forehead.

"First lesson about punctuality, Wesley Eliza Earp-Haught, there is such a thing as too early... we can't cash this for another four weeks."


End file.
